1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to marine craft protectors and more particularly to protectors for preventing sea birds from landing on marine craft.
2. Background Art
Gulls, or sea gulls, are graceful and can be found soaring and gliding in pursuit of food near coastlines. These long winged swimming birds with webbed feet and superb flight and other sea birds, however, have been a significant nuisance to marine craft for centuries. Aside from fly-by droppings, gulls often land on marine craft, especially when such craft are moored and unattended, and deposit excrement wherever they see fit. The birds that frequent the decks and other parts of marine craft leave their excrement messages behind much to the dismay and outrage of owners or skippers of the craft, who upon returning may first react with curses and frustration, only later to attempt to clean up the unsightly and unsanitary excrement mess left behind. Very little, if any, solution has been available, either to the occasional or daily sailor, to prevent these unsanitary, unsightly, and often dangerously slippery conditions, but has cost the deck hand hour upon hour of clean up and maintenance, as well. These conditions persist and impact structures and vehicles of all kinds in coastal areas, from bridges to buildings, navigational aids, to automobiles, boats, and ships.
A Herring Gull, which is a common gull and known in the northeast, has an average length from tip of bill to end of tail of approximately 24 inches, and, in the air, a wing spread of approximately 56 inches from wing tip to wing tip. The gull's legs are 4 to 6 inches long, on the average, with webbed feet, requiring a surface of at least 10 to 15 square inches for landing on.
There is a need for a simple, effective, inexpensive, attractive, easy to install and remove, removably attached, compactly storable, and durable protector for preventing sea birds from landing on and excreting excrement on marine craft.
Different apparatus and methods have heretofore been known. However, none of these adequately satisfies the aforementioned needs. Some of the devices and methods used heretofore in attempts to control sea bird pest problems have included: visual scare apparatus involving moving objects, such as artificial owls or PVC strips, and other devices, which require wind as a driving force; sonics, using audible or ultrasonic devices; cables to deter the sea birds from flying near portions of the marine craft, but not from landing on the marine craft; chemical repellents; and electrical shocking devices. Such devices are often difficult or impractical to use and/or install, and for the most part, only protect a portion of the marine craft some of the time, if at all. None of the aforementioned apparatus or methods have been effective, as the sea gulls and other sea birds have easily adapted to their changing environment and have realized that, for the most part, that such control apparatus is of no real threat to them.
Different sea bird pest control devices have been disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,832 (Darby) discloses a spring actuated animal pest control device, having elements which move rapidly toward an animal which has actuated the device. When an animal, such as a bird, steps upon and actuates the device, two body members connected to spring elements initially move rapidly together at the bird. The motion of the body members and the spring elements are intended to frighten the bird, causing the bird to depart before the spring element contacts the bird. However, the spring elements and/or the body members may contact the bird, as it is departing. The objective of the device is to create a near miss or real physical contact with the bird, thus scaring the bird away from the area to be protected. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,759 (Hood) discloses a boat or navigational aid having at least two posts extending upward from the top of the boat or the navigational aid and at least one line between the posts to prevent sea birds from landing on the top of the boat. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,062 (Ondris et al.) describes a device intended to prevent birds from flying near and landing on a boat, having a post centrally mounted on the boat with a top end position above the highest point of the boat. A series of cables extends between the top end of the post and peripheral points of the boat. The cables interrupt the flight paths of the birds and are intended to prevent the birds from landing on or flying near the boat. The post can be retracted and the cables can be detached during use of the boat. PA1 German Patent No. DE3237840 (Hechfellner) discloses a device for preventing gulls and other birds from contaminating decks and tarpaulins, particularly of sail boats. The device has rubber lashing ropes with anchor and hoist rings and buttons secured to the boat's tarpaulin. The lashing ropes are pulled taut from an elevated point on the sail boat, such as the mast, to points on the tarpaulin bearing against the boat's sides, and are intended to prevent perching of the birds on the boat. PA1 German Patent No. DE3023254 (Glaettli) discloses apparatus for protecting boats, balustrades, and walls from contamination by animals, particularly birds such as sea gulls, pigeons, and ducks, which tend to perch on such structures. The apparatus comprises an underlay, or the structure to be protected, and electrodes across which voltage is applied and which is placed over the underlay or the structure to be protected. The distance between the electrode wires across which voltage is applied is between 1.5 inches to 2.5 inches, to ensure that a bird trying to land touches both wires and is electrically shocked. PA1 European Patent No. EP712751 (Untersee) describes a protective enclosure for a vehicle or craft, particularly a boat or other weather dependent vehicle. The protective enclosure has an integrated spinous bird guard, at least on its exposed places, when spread out. At least one band of spikes may be located in a region of high exposed edges, the slide fastener, corners, and other parts of the surface of the protective enclosure. The band of spikes may be flexible and may, with the protective enclosure, conform to any form of base. The band of spikes may also be detachable from the protective enclosure.
None of the heretofore known sea bird pest control devices have taken advantage of the sea bird's landing approach patterns and/or physical characteristics.
A flying gull, typically, upon approaching a potential landing site, gives several rapid wing beats, then sails softly down, pausing suddenly over a likely landing spot with a few quick, short beats as the gull's dangling feet touch the landing site on the marine craft, other structure, or the ground. The gull, having webbed feet, requires a large enough location for the gull's webbed feet to fit on, and is generally precluded from landing on and gripping narrow objects, much smaller than the gull's feet.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a simple, effective, inexpensive, attractive, easy to install and remove, removably attached, compactly storable, and durable protector for preventing sea birds from landing on and excreting excrement on marine craft. The sea bird marine craft protector should take advantage of the sea bird's landing and physical characteristics.